As usual the organizers have chosen to hold hostage residents of the Fells Point community by blocking all egress from south of the above-mentioned streets — unless you have a boat — from 8:10 a.m. to noon.

The race starts at 8 am and travels to Druid Hill, Locust Point and then around the Inner Harbor before getting to Lancaster Street. Yet at 8:10 you are prevented from taking your vehicle out of your neighborhood.

If you have to be at work at 12:30 p.m. you better leave by 7:30 a.m. There will be no exceptions made by police manning the intersections. Why can't the organizers move the course over one block, to Fleet Street, so the rest of us can be free to go about our normal activities?